“Congress passed legislation to create the Environmental Protection Act in the 1970s and, for the first time, the federal government regulated business in terms of pollution,” said Dr. Nathaniel Means, professor of history at North Lake Campus. That was during the Nixon administration and during that time, Earth Day was organized by local college students in hopes of drawing attention to the pollution issue.
It was also the early days of space exploration. In 1972, a famous photo, known as the “Blue Marble,” was taken of Earth from outer space.
“That very famous photograph of planet Earth taken from the standpoint of space absolutely brought an enormous amount of tension on the fragility of the planet, and the beauty of the planet. I cannot help but think that photograph did a lot to put attention on Earth,” Means said.
At a time when climate change is becoming an urgent focus, reality is shaped by the health of our planet. Viral trends, like fast fashion and single-use disposable items, lead to overproduction. That waste contributes to environmental pollution. These and other habits can take a toll on our physical and mental health.
“Whether it be water bottles, cell phones or fast fashion, a lot of the products made today are meant to be disposed of quickly – without thinking of the consequences of disposing of such items or the resources needed to make them,” Dr. Roy Vu, a North Lake history professor and author said. He notes that there is a habit of relying on disposable items – especially amongst the younger population.
Fast fashion makes products accessible, but a continuous reliance on them comes with dramatic consequences. Vu clarified that his comments were not made towards individuals, but rather the industry.
“They are the ones who should shoulder the blame for starting and encouraging fast fashion without thinking about the harm it causes for the future generations,” Vu said.
The choices made today can shape the way we live our lives tomorrow. From enhancing moods to reducing stress, taking a break outdoors can be helpful especially during exams.
Physical and mental health go hand in hand. The longer we stay in an unsanitary environment, the harder it is to recover. Vu has witnessed the environmental collapse within communities. Being raised in Houston, he recalls spotting oil refineries right off the freeway.
“We call those places ‘cancer alleys,’ because they are known for polluting the air so bad that cancer rates in the areas (Texas City) tend to have individuals with higher rates of cancer,” he said. Some will argue that this is simply the price of progress, but who is paying the price? While industries continue to profit, thousands of lives are cut short in the name of growth.
“The economic price is not worth the price of human beings. We live in a world where oftentimes, folks will celebrate Earth Day as a way of demonstrating their environmental consciousness in order to form a display of ‘doing something right,’ but in reality they don’t offer any clearcut solutions or take great action to protect our environment,”
“Earth Day shouldn’t just be a celebration of our planet and trying to maintain our environmental, economic and societal sustainability, but we should all, including myself, take more direct action in finding ways to improve our society, bringing it back towards our local community,” he said.
Vu promotes the mid set of ‘think global, act local’ with his students, pushing for individual efforts within the community.
“Thinking about it at a global scale can be overwhelming,” he said. That can diminish a person’s motivation when it comes to action. Breaking down the process can help.
“Think locally. How can we help Irving, Texas,” Vu said. “By helping organizations like ‘Keep Irving Beautiful,’ a nonprofit that has won numerous awards, improve the cleanliness and living standards of Irving, it’s easier to understand and also easier to resonate with.”
